BACKGROUND: With the development of poisonous gasses used as offensive weapons in WWI appropriate defensive gasmasks also had to be developed. The German WWI M1915 and M1917 gasmasks evolved into the Reichswehr, (National Defence Force, Circa 1919-1933), era M24 gasmask and eventually into the M30 and M38 gasmasks used in WWII. All German army personnel were issued with a gasmask, carrying canister and accessories and were required to have it readily available at all times. Although the use of chemical warfare agents was considered by the German OKW, Oberkommando der Wehrmacht, (High Command of the Armed Forces), fear of the Allies retribution forced them to reconsider and shelf the idea. Along with the gasmask and assorted accessories was a gas warning flag set that consisted of twenty small flags on metal poles, seventy-five feet of yellow marking tape and a carrying pouch. The gas warning flag set was issued on a limited basis and was also utilized to mark minefields. The German armed forces also utilized other assorted flags and signs to mark gas contaminated areas and minefields.

PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION: The woven, field-grey canvas/rayon blend, construction, gas warning flag set, holster shaped, carrying pouch is roughly, 22 3/4" tall with a 6" wide, top section tapering down to a 3 1/4" wide, bottom section. The pouch has a fold over, top flap with a stitch on, vertical, closure strap to the obverse with a corresponding, dark blue/grey painted, opened rectangular, magnetic sheet metal buckle positioned on the obverse body of the pouch. The obverse, upper section of the pouch has the addition of a roughly, 4 1/4" tall, 4 1/4" wide, 1 1/4" deep, "U" shaped pocket designed to contain the seventy-five feet of marking tape. The marking tape is absent. The reverse, top section of the pouch has an integral, machine stitched on, khaki/tan, canvas web, carrying strap with a dark blue/grey painted, opened rectangular, magnetic sheet metal joining clip and a dark blue/grey painted, sliding, opened rectangular, magnetic sheet metal length adjustment buckle. The bottom edge of the pouch has a dual-ply, internal stiffening and reinforcement panel so the pointed tips of the flag poles would not puncture the pouch. The flags are also absent. The interior of the fold over, top flap, is well marked with a faint, blurred, black inkstamped waffen-amt. The pouch is in overall very good condition with minimal age and usage toning and a couple of small picks and pulls.  

GRADE****                            PRICE $138.00